Automatic grease-cup.



110.7%,269. I 'PATENTED APR.25,1905. J. 1-". LEWIS.

AUTOMATIC GREASE CUP. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 3, 1906.

X Z; W////////////// #M 27 1/0135. 7 17f (ma 7 STATES UNITED ratentedApril 25, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC GREASE-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,269, dated April25, 1905. V

' Application filed January 3, 1905. Serial ITO-"239,351.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia,

county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Grease-Cups, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automaticgrease-cups, and has for its object to provide a grease-cup in which thegrease will be fed by means ofcornpressed air compressed in the upperportion of the cup, and the grease-cup can be so constructed that greasewill be fed evenly, and when the grease ceases to feed a small amount ofgrease will still be retainedin the cup for emergency, and the upperportion of the cup will always empty itself.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, the constructionand operation will now be described in detail,

referring to the. accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification,- in which--.

Figure I is a vertical sectionthrough my improved grease-cup, showingthe same in its operative position; Fig, 2, a vertical section of myimproved grease-cup,.showing the same inthe position it would assumewhen the cup ceases to feed: Fig. 3, a cross-section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

My improved grease-cup consists of two main portions A and B. Each ofthese portions is cup shape and inverted relative to one another andthreaded one into the other,

the upper portion A being exteriorly thread-' ed and the lower portion Bbeing intefi'orly threaded. 1n the lower part of the portion B is afunnel O, the hopper portion of the funnel extending upward into thecup, the neck of the funnel extending downward through an opening formedin the nipple B, which is adapted to be threaded into the journal. The

funnel C has a series of openings D formed through the same just abovethe bottom of the portion B. E is a flat disk, preferably turned uparound this periphery to form an annular flange; This disk is adapted tolie upon the top of the grease and act as a floatingpiston. This disk Eis slightly smaller in diametel than the interior of the portion A, sothat tilt disk fits loosely within the portion A and i: free to move bygravity without any friction Thisdisk E is designed to have a'certainlim ited vertical movement relative to the portioi A, but is designed torevolve with said por tion A when the same is turned. This ma; beaccomplished in any suitable manner, her shown'as providing a strip Fbent in the l shape, the two ends being secured to the to of the disk Eand the strip extending upwari a predetermined distance.

G is a U-shape frame, the ends of the tw lugs being secured to the topof the portio A, the two vertical wires, forming legs of th frame G,passing through holes formed in th cross-piece of the frame F. Thereforeth piston E has a certain limited vertical movr 'ment relative totheportion A, but is designe to be turned with the portion A.

In operation the portion B is filled wit grease, the pistonE, whichextends below tl' lower rim of the portion A when the tw parts areseparated, is placed'upon' the top( the grease, and the portion A isthreaded inl the portion B, and by screwing theportion. downward intothe portion B air is com presse in the portion A above the piston, andthe a will exert an equal pressure upon the grea: at all points onaccount of said disk E beir in close contact with the grease. The diskin turning with the portion A will smooth tl top of the grease, and theturning of the. dis E relative to the grease will cause all air-bu blesto be removed from between the disk a1 the grease, so that the grease isin absolu contact with the disk at all points, and the 2 thereforecannot pass around the disk and e ter between said disk and the greasea1 cause-thereby an uneven pressure upon't grease. If the disk E did notturn with t portion A so as to hermetically seal its against'the grease,the air would be very ,li ble to find a passage between the disk and tgrease, and as the least resistance is throu; the center said greasewould funnel c through the center and would not feed evenly.v

As the grease is fed from the cup the portion A is from time to timescrewed down further into the portion B, and when the lower rim of theportion A reaches the bottom of the portion B the disk E will then lieflat upon the upper edge of the hopper of the funnel (J, as shown inFig. 2, and thus no further airpressure can be exerted upon the greasewithin the hopper; but the air will pass around the disk and around thehopper and force the grease that is below the outside of the hopperthrough the opening D downward through the neck of the funnel to thejournal, thus entirely cleaning the portion A of grease; but the greasewithin the hopper will remain there, and this is a great advantage ingreasecups, particularly when used on locomotivebearings and the like,for it is necessary to have a certain amount of. grease held in reserve,so that if the grease-cup is emptied before being noticed there is acertain amount of grease left in the cup which will melt and run down bygravity if the journal becomes hot through the lack of grease, and thiswill save the journal until it is noticed by the engineer that thegrease-cup is empty.

H is a lock-nut for locking the two parts A and B against movementrelative to one another.

I is a screw adapted to be loosened to vent the portion A when it isremoved from the portion B.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction hereshown, as slight modifications could be made without departing From thespirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis- 1. In a grease-cup, two cup-shaped portions nverted relative to oneanother and threaded me into the other, the lower portion being proridedwith a nipple depending from the same tl'ld adapted to be secured in abearing, said iipple provided with an opening formed therehrough, thelower portion adapted to contain he grease, a disk fitting looselywithin the ipper portion and adapted to rest upon the grease, means forguiding said disk while lliding vertically relative to the upper porionand causing said disk to revolve when he upper portion is turned, as andfor the )11I POSB specified.

2. In an automatic grease-cup, two cuphaped portions inverted relativeto one anther, the upper portion threaded into the ower portion, thelower portion provided vith an opening extending through the botomthereof, the lower portion adapted to conain grease, a disk fittedloosely within the lpper portion and adapted to lie upon the top t' thegrease, means adapted to guide the .isk while sliding verticallyrelative to the upper portion and to cause said disk to revolve with theupper portion when said upper portion is turned, and means for retaininga certain amount of grease within the cup against the air-pressure whenthe upper portion is threaded into the lower portion as far as possible.

3. In an automatic grease-cup, two cupshaped portions inverted relativeto one another, the,upper portion threaded in to the lower portion, thelower portion provided with a nipple extending downward therefrom, saidnipple provided with an opening formed therethrough,a funnel located inthe lower portion, the neck of the funnel communicating with the openingthrough the nipple, the hopper of the funnel lying within the lowerportion, the greatest diameter of said hopper being less in diameterthan the diameter of the interior of the upper portion of the cup, thehopper provided with a series of openings formed through the same justabove the bottom of the lower portion, the lower portion adapted tocontain grease, adisk fitting loosely within the upper portion andadapted to lie upon the top of the grease, means for guiding said diskwhile sliding in a vertical direction relative to the upper portion andcausing said disk to revolve with the upper portion when the same isturned, 'a screw threaded through the wall of the upper portion for thepurpose of venting the upper portion when the same is to be removedfromthe lower portion.

4. In anautomatic grease-cup, two cupshaped portions inverted relativeto one another, the upper, portion threaded into the lower portion, thelower portion provided with an opening formed through the bottomthereof, the lower portion adapted to contain the grease, a disk fittingloosely within the upper portion and adapted to lie upon the top of thegrease, means for guiding the disk when sliding vertically relative tothe upper portion and to cause said disk to revolve with the upperportion when said portion is turned, means for retaininga certain amountof grease within the cup against the air-pressure when the upper portionis threaded into the lower portion as far as possible, said greaseretained in the cup adapted to displace suflicient air within the cup tocreate an air-pressure suflicient to expel all the grease except theretained portion, and means for holding the retained portion so that thesame will be free of the walls of the cup, as specified.

In testimonywhereof l have hereunto aifixed my signature in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

MARY E. HAMER; L. W. MORRISON.

